Amusement apparatus.



Patented Nov. 25, |902.

F. "H, LIPPINCDTT. Amusement APPARATUS.

(Application tiled-Mar. 7` 1902.)

(No Model.)

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UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

FISHER/H. LIPPINCO'IT, OF PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA.

`AIVIUSEMENT APPARATUS.y

PECIFICATION forming1 part of Letters Patent N o. 714,383, dated November 25, 1902.

Application filed March 7, 1902.

To all whom it may con/cern.u

Be it known that I, FISHER H. LIPPINcoTT,

la citizen of the United States, residing in the city and county of -Philadelphia, in the State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements inAmusement Apparatus, of which the following is a full, clear,

, and exact description, reference being had to elevation.

the accompanying drawings, in which- `Figure lis a plan view. Fig. 2 is a side Fig. 3 is a longitudinal section through the middle of the apparatus as on line Fig. 1.

, The object of this invention is to provide an amusement apparatus in the nature of a puzzle based upon the well-known fact that i objects or designs reected in a mirror are seen reversed, whereby there results a certain confusion in the mind of the person looking at the reflected image in the mirror.

To this end the invention consists of a mirror in a substantially Vertical position and a cover or hood open at both ends and support- Va sheet of paper or the like having a design or figure thereon that is seen reflected in the said mirror, the puzzle to be solved being for a person passing his hand with a pencil held thereby in the usual position for writing into the space covered by the hood and looking at the reflection of said design in the mirror to draw or make a facsimile of such design upon the sheet .of paper, as more particularly hereinafter described.

Referring to the accompanying drawings, 1 is the base of the apparatus, made, preferably, of a board, 2 is a mirror secured thereto adjacent to one end in a substantially vertical position, and 3 is a hood orcover,also secured to said base, open at both ends, there being an uncovered portion of the base between the mirror and hood,\as shown. This uncovered portion is adapted to receive 'a sheet of paper 4, and I usually provide means for securing said sheet`detachably-as, for example, by studs 5, rising from the base, in connection with corresponding perforations Serial No. 97,068. (No model.)

`of the sheet. The latter has marked or printed thereon a iigure or designe-snob, for example, as rectangle with diagonal lines from corner to corner, as seen in Fig. l, or it may be a number of points some distance apart or other suitable design.

The dimensions of the space covered by the hood are such as to comfortably receive the hand of a person holding a pencil therein in writing position, as indicated by the dotted outline in Fig. 3, the purpose of the hood being to prevent the person sitting at a table upon which the apparatus rests in the usual attitude or position when writing from seeing his hand and the pencil except as reflected in the mirror 2. I usually contract the height of the opening at the end of the hoodl toward the mirror, as by turning down that end of the top of the hood obliquely at 6, as shown. Thus only the pointed end of the pencil and the tips of the fingers grasping the same will be seen reected in the mirror.

As hereinbefore suggested, the puzzle to be solved or the feat to be accomplished by the person holding a pencil in the manner described-that is, as indicated by the dotted outline in Fig. 3-is, looking at the reflection of the rectangle or figure upon the sheet, to draw upon the latter a facsimile of such tigure or to connect together by straight lines points that may have been marked upon the sheet. The confusion of mind occurring in the attempt to accomplish this feat is such that many persons aresurprised to find that it is sometimes practically impossible except after very many trials, and all persons will `find it, at lirst at least, extremely difficult.

I usually prefer to place the said mirror 0bliquely instead of at right angles to the sides of the base, as shown, so that the personsitting at a desk or table in the ordinary position taken when writing or drawing may more conveniently look into the mirror 2 that is, from the side instead of directly over the hand.

I remark that inlieu of using detached or IOO ures, dac., to be drawn in facsimile may be made on said surface and afterward erased and others made thereon. Usually, however, in supplying the apparatus I would furnish therewith suitable sheets of paper, each having a different design or puzzle printed thereon. Further, it is not absolutely essential, although preferable,that the hood be fixed to the base, as the same may sometimes be movable thereon eitherlaterally or toward and from the mirror. I would sometimes use a mirror and a corresponding base of such length that there may be a number of hoods upon the base, whereby several persons may at the same time attempt to solve a similar or different puzzle.

I finally remark that in referring to the mirror as substantially vertical and at right angles to the base I do not mean tolimit myself to any particular angle, for it will be obvious that the essential in this respect is that the relative position of vthe mirror shall be such that the designs, figures, or marks upon the uncovered portion of the base in front of the mirror may be seen reflected in said mirror by the person occupying the position hereinbefore mentioned.

Having thus described my invention, I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patentl. In an apparatus of the character recited, the combination of a substantially Vertical mirror, a base or support in front of and having a surface substantially at right angles to said mirror, and a hood or covering open at both ends upon said base, the portion of the latter between the hood and mirror being uncovered, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

2. In an apparatus of the character recited, the combination of the substantially vertical mirror, the hood, and thc base to which said mirror and hood are secured, the part of the base between the mirror and hood being uncovered, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

3. In an apparatus of the character recited, the combination of the base, the mirror secured thereto, and occupying a substantially vertical position, the hood secured to said base, the portion of the latter between the hood and mirror being uncovered, and means for holding a sheet of paper or the like upon such uncovered portion, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

4. An amusement apparatus comprising the base the vertically-disposed mirror secured thereto, the hood secured to said base, an uncovered part of the latter between the hood and the mirror, a surface adapted to be written upon, upon said uncovered portion, said surface having thereon a design or figure occupying a part only of such surface, subsfantially as and for the purpose set forth.

5. An amusement apparatus comprising the base, the mirror secured thereto in substantially vertical position, the hood also secured to said base, there being an uncovered portion of the latter between the mirror and hood, and means for securing detachably a sheet of paper upon said uncovered part of the base, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

6. An amusement apparatus comprising a base, the mirror secured thereto and occupying a substantially vertical position oblique to the sides of the base, the hood, there being an uncovered portion of the base between the mirror and hood, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto affixed my signature this 31st day of January,

FISHER H. LIPPINCOTT. Witnesses:

ANDREW V. GROUPE, WALTER O. PUsEY. 

